Many people are observing that higher education is in serious trouble, and as a student, you are one of the primary stakeholders. Online education solves some problems, creates others, and provides some interesting complications to the ongoing debate about how to shape our higher education policies and experiences. William Bennett, former U.S. Secretary of Education, has something to say about it. He wrote this opinion piece for CNN.com in July 2012.
Read it here: Bennett, "Is Sebastian Thrum’s Udacity the Future of Higher Education?”
- In Bennett’s opening paragraph, he claims that Silicon Valley is an “unlikely source” for realizing educators’ dreams of providing “universal, low-cost, first-class higher education.” Do you agree with Bennett’s assertion? Why or why not? Why might he consider Silicon Valley so unlikely? What presuppositions or assumptions do his assertions reveal?
- All of Udacity’s class offerings (to date) are in the STEM fields; that is, science, technology, engineering, and math. Would Udacity’s educational model, as described by Bennett, be suitable for, say, a literature course? U.S. history? Philosophy? Why or why not?
- Have you taken a Udacity course? Would you try one? Why or why not? Considering your own situation and personal goals, which aspects of Udacity are appealing? Which aspects are drawbacks for you? Explain your responses.
- Bennett’s credentials as an educator are quite solid; he was the Secretary of Education for three years in President Ronald Reagan’s administration. Still, a lot has changed in the more than twenty-five years since he held that post. In your view, how do his age and depth of experience influence his credibility? Why?
- Bennett poses a challenging question: “Do we need a revolution in higher education?” Write an essay in which you address that question, providing evidence from your own experience and world knowledge. In your response, consider such factors as access and inclusivity, cost, social experience with peers, credentials and certification, advisement, and any other issues you think are important to consider.
They Say I Blog 
There are many ways which the traditional college and universities fail to reach and accomodate the needs of students. For most of these potential students the problems of cost, accesability, providing for family while attending school, finding time to attend classes and do homework, and as I experienced, the enrollment process can be overwhelming. I believe the system, as a whole, is an outdated process. The system has lost its ability to reach and teach students who would most benefit from it, the special and the accelerated learner. The traditional process of education should have long ago been abandoned. If we look at the recent growth of the private, online and charter schools we can begin to understand how desperate the situation has become.
Online education could certainly be a part of the solution. For example, Kahn Academy, a non-profit, educational, YouTube micro-lecture series (with over 3,300 micro-lectures) is available to anyone who has access to the internet. Currently Kahn Academy has over 175 Million views. Udacity.com is evidence that online learning enables all persons, students of life, no matter age, gender, religion, ethnic origin or economic constraints to garner information, assemble it into their background and experiences and grow. It enables people to reach beyond their normal exposure to concepts and broaden their understanding. This type of learning was unavailable just a few decade ago under the umbrella of “traditional learning”. Most accredited colleges and universities now begun to grasp the importance of having some form of online classes available to students. While there are those who voice concerns regarding online classes, such as “how can anyone know the true identity of a student” I reply, most large colleges professors have so many students crammed into their lecture halls how can they know the true identity of those students?
Online education is certainly a step in the right direction but we need to understand there are numerous other options which should also be looked at as a means of education. Shouldn’t we also be asking ourselves, “how can we best reach and teach students “how” to think, not “what” to think?”
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Sebastian Thrun has created an opportunity for people who did not have the opportunity for higher education. On the one hand, it is really helpful for people who do not have money and time for college, of access to a higher education campus. We can understand better the potential of people who had no dreams or aspirations of going to college.
On the other hand, a college courses towards a degreed program are more valuable then online courses. Experience of being in a college classroom goes beyond just the material that is being taught.
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While there is no arguing that Sebastian Thrun’s Udacity is a step in the right direction in regards to lowering the cost of higher education, I disagree with William Bennett’s comment that he may be “one of the men responsible for an Athens-like renaissance.” After all, who are these other men? As stated by the author of the comment above, “there are many ways in which traditional colleges and universities fail to reach and accommodate the needs of students.” That said, the launching of an alternative school that helps students gain access to a “Stanford-level education” is a small stepping stone in the large task of overhauling today’s higher education system. Let’s also not forget that Thrun used the material prepared for the class he teaches at Stanford University, a school that I have been told by friends with children who attend there, does not currently have an academic scholarship program. Until recently, when the school was told they had too much in their endowment funds and needed to find a way to spend some of the money, offered no academic discounts at all. In order to spend the money, they offered small tuition breaks to middle and lower class families and families with multiple students attending the University. I disagree with Bennett’s “Athens-like statement” because in order to be a part of the renaissance you should be a leader who stands apart from the crowd and inspires other leaders to stand apart from the crowd as well; a leader who quits “playing in the sandbox” with the status quo and takes the risk of starting their own sandbox after leaving the status quo. Staying and playing nice with the status quo, does not demonstrate the risk displayed by a true “renaissance man.”
While Udacity helps to fill the need of non-traditional students and students who don’t enjoy learning in a traditional setting (such as the tech savvy crowd Udacity caters to); what about students who do wish to learn and attend classes in a traditional setting, get a Stanford-level education, and don’t want to pay $50,000 to $100,000 to get that education? I agree with Thrun’s statement, “people really want good education, there is a huge need.” He’s absolutely right, but good education needs to be offered at all levels. To the critics of Udacity who say that the certificates offered by the online school are worthless and that “how can one know the true identity of a student on the free-for-all jungle that is the Internet?” I would say how can you know the true identity of anyone from a college diploma, traditional or online? Have you ever sat through an interview where the candidate aced it; only to find out that they were really great at interviewing, but couldn’t perform up to the expectations of the position? I have; having an online degree compared to a Stanford degree shouldn’t matter, an excellent education should be available to everyone. The piece of paper doesn’t make the person, what they do with it is the true worth of the person.
I agree with Bennett in the sense of what could be, given his background, expertise, and current role at Google, Thrun could be the man to gather the right people around him to lead the charge in changing higher education; I just believe Bennett is premature in his belief that he has already helped create the movement when there are currently no other leaders with Thrun in the movement to overhaul education. I agree with Thrun that “it’s the beginning of higher education.” However, I disagree that “it’s the beginning of higher education for everyone.” I believe it’s the beginning of quality higher education for some and hopefully the beginning of quality higher education for everyone.
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In recent discussions of the current state of higher education in this country a controversial issue is whether a complete overhaul or revolution is needed to address some of the main issues. Is the high price of a traditional college education justified by its price tag? Is the return, a diploma, worth the massive debt that students are incurring? This debt, in the form of student loans can take years or even decades to pay off. In fact some parents in order to fulfill their child’s dream are even taking out second mortgages to pay for this education. They say that the price of admission more than offsets debt the student will incur. They say that programs like Udacity, a free online education experience developed by Sebastian Thrun is a waste of time. They also say that the Udacity’s certificates are worthless. I say that online programs like Udicity are the way of the future. In terms of actual performance versus dollars spent Udicity is by far the more logical choice. For example in the course of a program through Udacity the best place a University of Stanford student placed was number 411, 410, non Stanford students scored higher. The question is why such a disparity?
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Keith Padgett
Kristin Stoner
English 150 LD
11 September 2012
They Say I Say Blog Response
1. Technology has changed the world in so many ways over the past decade, making it unsurprising that Silicon Valley might be the source for improving higher education. I don’t agree with the assumption because everything has become digital now. Most college homework is already summited online, making it a matter of time before all classes just occur online. The internet makes learning more convenient and can be more effective because it can hold all of the information. There are many colleges out there that offer online course, it’s only a matter of time before it it’s perfected.
2. I believe that Udacity’s method would work in all areas of study, beyond the fields of math and science. The way people are taught with this program would make it effective for say literature, or history. It challenges people and has them focus on learning the product instead of just memorizing something would make it doable. By having the course open to everyone, there will always be the handful of students who don’t put forward the effort to actually learn the content, but if a student shows enthusiasm and stays after it; he/she can achieve anything. If you are able to successfully teach engineering through an online course, then you should be able to manage philosophy.
3. I personally have never taken an Udacity course, and have actually never even heard of the program before I read this article. Given the opportunity to take a course through Udacity, I would definitely give it a shoot because there is no down side to it. It is very appealing to me because of the idea of getting a free education that is at the same level as a Stanford education. It would be very time effective as well because I could take the classes at home in a comfortable learning environment while being on my own time schedule. The only negative thing I could see coming from all of this is the fact that many people out there wouldn’t view this as higher education. Udacity is still very young and although there is a lot of respect for it, not every employer believes in it. Hopefully in the years to come it earns a better reputation and grows into a more well-rounded education program. That being said if it would be possible to transfer credits from Udacity to my current academic career happening at Iowa State University, I would give it a shot.
4. Although education has changed over the years with the development of the internet and social media, Sebastian Thrum is definitely more than qualified to be a teacher of higher education, through his age and his experience. There was a reason the United States used to be the standard for education in world, and we need to get back to these lost ways. His creditability can only be enhanced by these attributes and no way hurt his image. Experience is the key to any job in any field and when it comes to experience Thrum has more than the average person.
5. I do believe that we need a revolution in higher education. There are way too many things wrong with the current system. More opportunity needs to be offered to every one of all backgrounds, and social classes. There is too much undiscovered talent out there, and not letting everyone get an equal education dismisses what could have been. Just because they weren’t born into a successful family with a lot of money doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be able to gain an education. Secondly the teaching method is flawed, lecture halls don’t engage students enough, and it feels like kids have to teach themselves. There has to be a better method to get the needed information to a large group of students. Lastly, the one thing that I believe colleges do well is engage students in social activities. College is usually a very stressful time for many individuals, and it helps to get your mind away from studies at times. There are defiantly many things that need to change when it comes to higher education, but not all of it is useless.
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Peter Roberts
Stoner/Eng150 (LE)
9/12/12
1. I agree with Bennett’s claim that Silicon Valley is an unlikely source for providing higher education. Bennett has been involved with higher education for the past twenty five years and has not been introduced to online learning. From a spectators point of view it seems like a great idea. It is cheap, and relatively good instruction. But from a student’s angle, I don’t think it will make lectures obsolete. Silicon Valley seems unlikely because it is the technology capital of the world. All of the tech start ups come from that area so seeing something relating to education is a bit surprising.
2. I personally believe learning a social science online would be easier than the STEM courses. I am currently involved in an online course at Iowa State and so far from my personal experience I can’t speak well of them. It is a math course and concepts are key. These concepts would be much easier taught in a classroom/lecture setting. A social science, on the other hand, would be more reading based learning and I think would be easier to learn without the help of a professor. Giving suggested readings and factual information is easily learned independently. I would be very curious to see how the STEM courses are taught and if this new teaching style will catch on.
3. A Udacity course would not be something i’m interested in. As an undergraduate student, I am looking for the “college experience”. Udacity doesn’t offer the kind of things i’m looking for when taking a class. I would like to have a professor where I can utilize office hours, I don’t want to be trapped figuring things out by myself. If I were a working professional or continuing my education, taking the class would appeal more to me. Therefore I believe it is a good idea for those who are interested in the knowledge and don’t need a classroom setting to learn the material.
4. Bennett has an extremely large amount of knowledge relating to education. Even he questioned a few of the minor details about Udacity, how credible it will look to employers, and the legitimacy of the student. Based on his years of experience and knowledge of the traditional education system, he still approves of Udacity. He acknowledges that this is the start of the end of the traditional University education. I think it’s interesting to see someone with such strong beliefs about higher education simply state that the future of college education is changing. He might be right, but some students like myself benefit greatly from the traditional lecture/classroom method.
5. I don’t think that there needs to be a revolution in higher education. Bennett praises Udacity in the fact that it addresses some common issues of a college education. Udacity does not have a fee and it also includes everyone regardless of previous education. While this is a nice idea, the quality of education can’t prove to be more superior then a University. I feel as though a lot is included in the high price of college, what is included with Udacity? In a standard University you pay for housing, an academic advisor, and reputable classes that are backed by the University’s name. When comparing what kind of education you get then it’s obvious which is more of the “college experience”. I disagree that Udacity is offering the kind of reform that colleges need. From my personal experience, I think that classes need to be more hands on. Udacity eliminates a physical professor. If there was a learning curve, how does Udacity help an individual student who may be having difficulties with the material? The arguments that Udacity raises are not the issues that need to be solved in a college University. Udacity would be work tremendously as a supplemental class but should not replace a core class.
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In Bennett’s opening paragraph, he claims that Silicon Valley is an “unlikely source” for realizing educators’ dreams of providing “universal, low-cost, first-class higher education”. I don’t entirely agree with him because an education is an education. If it comes from a university, a community college, or even an online college, it still counts as an education. The students might not receive the exact same information but they are still working towards earning a diploma for a career. Bennett might consider Silicon Valley as an unlikely source because he does not know how the source works. Bennett might have received an education from a university and went through that experience and does not know what the experience is from getting an education from a community college or online. Everybody has their own preferences and everybody learns in a different way.
Udacity’s educational model may not be the perfect way to earn an education if Udacity does not offer what you want to learn. It is the same with many university’s. Many schools have the same studies, but some schools do not have the education one wants to particularly study, so they must go elsewhere. If you want to study a certain career, you may have to go to a different school than you planned on going to.
If i had the chance to take a Udacity course i would try it, to see what the learning process is. Considering my own situation and personal goals, the aspects that are appealing to me is when and where you can take the class and how cheap it is. However, I have been known to procrastinate, which means i might wait to the deadline and try to do it all at once. If i did that, i do not think i would get the most out of it. Going to a university, I say, is the best way for me to learn, even though there are some drawbacks. That is from my point of view.
In my view, Bennett’s age influences his credibility. We have come far in our society from technology to education. Today, many students are taking online classes to earn their education and enter the job force. Before we had this technology, students would go to a college or university to earn their education. Both work, but taking online classes might be the best opportunity for some people today.
Bennett asks the question “Do we need a revolution in higher education?” Yes, we do. Many people in the world are not receiving a higher education. Some can not pay for it and some may not have the time. Their location also has a big factor, if they are in an area where the opportunity is not available, what do they do? I think Udacity is an incredible thing. It provides a higher education online. Personally, i would not take an online class if it was up to me, but everyone is different and have their own preferences. This might be the only opportunity they have. You can access it if you have a computer and internet, which is almost guaranteed in today’s world and it costs less than attending a university or college, which is a great plus. Udacity might not be the best way to build your social skills like you would at a university or college, but that is only one down side. As long as you are willing to learn and want to get a better job after education, I think Udacity is the way to go if you want to take classes online.
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In Bennett’s opening paragraph, he claims that Silicon Valley is an “unlikely source” for realizing educators’ dreams of providing “universal, low-cost, first-class higher education.” Do you agree with Bennett’s assertion? Why or why not? Why might he consider Silicon Valley so unlikely? What presuppositions or assumptions do his assertions reveal?
I agree. Cause so far from now it’s hard to image that Silicon Valley is the primary source for providing “universal, low cost, first-class higher education; But all we know that Silicon Valley now is the world most advanced technology gathering place and since we live in a technology world, everything is possible. So his “unlikely source” is opposite to its verbal meaning. Additionally, I think he is trying to lay the foundation of his speech – the higher education has a great bearing of Silicon Valley.
All of Udacity’s class offerings (to date) are in the STEM fields; that are, science, technology, engineering, and math. Would Udacity’s educational model, as described by Bennett, be suitable for, say, a literature course? U.S. history? Philosophy? Why or why not?
Actually it’s several courses with multiple choices. As we know that Udacity nowadays provide various courses in STEM field but none of them is related to the literature course. So I don’t think Udacity’s education model is literature course.
Have you taken a Udacity course? Would you try one? Why or why not? Considering your own situation and personal goals, which aspects of Udacity are appealing? Which aspects are drawbacks for you? Explain your responses.
No, I haven’t. Probably yes. Because it’s free and as it has been described in the article, student could learn more knowledge within lesser days than the date cost of regular class. So far from now, the most appealing part for me is the free-learning. As a international student, our tuition is much more expensive than the local student, and Udacity provide a huge amount of free course which is in a Stanford level. Normally, I think no one would say no to free stuff especially when it’s in a very good quality. However, nowadays, most companies are focus on student’s paper-form diploma but not the online one. So it’s pretty hard for the students who graduate from Udacity to find a job in the company they really want to join with.
Bennett’s credentials as an educator are quite solid; he was the Secretary of Education for three years in President Ronald Reagan’s administration. Still, a lot has changed in the more than twenty-five years since he held that post. In your view, how do his age and depth of experience influence his credibility? Why?
Personally I think as his age growing up, his credibility is also growing up. When we were little, we know that what parents said is correct because they are older than us and due to they are older, they gain more experience. So as a person growing, his could gain more experience and knowledge. When we discuss with an elder, his opinion usually has more power than ours, and so has Bennett.
Bennett poses a challenging question: “Do we need a revolution in higher education?” Write an essay in which you address that question, providing evidence from your own experience and world knowledge. In your response, consider such factors as access and inclusivity, cost, social experience with peers, credentials and certification, advisement, and any other issues you think are important to consider.
Do we need a revolution in higher education?
From Bennett’s speech, it is true that Udacity changed the way about how we earn higher level education. But personally saying, it’s hard to convince me to call it as a revolution. Because before Thrun launched Udacity, there’s plenty of online resources that could provide for students or people who want to gain knowledge. What’s more, sometime when we watch a educational video online, most of us will fall asleep because we are not actually In that circumstance. Furthermore, if online courses could become very popular that could influence the status of regular college and let most of us quit college to join it, how could we seat in the classroom taking the note of the professor’s speech? Additionally, online diploma usually couldn’t accept by most of companies. Step back and speak, someone gets the diploma from an online education organization, his coworkers would probably look down on him just because his non-regular-college degree. Because we still consider the formal college (regular college) to be our best choice even though we don’t have enough money to pay the tuition. This inrooted mind twisted our view of online courses so that most managers would like to hire person who graduates from Stanford rather than the one graduate from Udacity. That’s why I don’t think a popular online study source could be called as a revolution.
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On the topic of “The Future of High Education: William J. Bennett on an Exciting Innovation”, I believe that this step towards education has it strong points and weak ones. While the economy in America is at a low, most Americans seek to obtain a high education to obtain a higher pay to support themselves and their love ones. But it is becoming too expensive to gain education at most colleges and the time needed to obtain money to supply individuals with everyday needs make education a risk. It is not guaranteed that having an education will grant individual jobs after they graduate. This is where Sebastian Thrun’s Udacity plays a very strong part in education. As it is said in the article, Udacity is an online program in which student can obtain a education for free and can be accessed at any time. I am quite surprised that there is not more online program such as Udacity. Udacity plays a key role in giving higher education to those who are not as fortunate in affording both time and money to obtain a high education. But there is a big downside to free higher education.
With free higher education, it takes away the seriousness and the amount of dedication it takes to obtain education. By allowing higher education free to everybody through things like Udacity, nobody will support or take schools seriously. This can be so because with free education individuals will have nothing to lose by not seeking a high education. By paying for higher education, the risk of putting money in education will cause individuals to work harder on to obtaining a greater amount of education oppose to people who obtain higher education for free. By paying money through your own pocket, shows that you are willing to sacrifice and risk hard earn money to gather as much knowledge to obtain a career that will pay higher. Not to sound inhuman but high education should not be allowed to just everybody. By giving higher education to everyone, competitions for certain jobs will grow to an all-new high, especially in a capitalist society. It will be hard to find high paying jobs if everybody had taken higher education. This will further the gap of the middle class and the rich.
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Udacity sounds like an amazing concept. Providing free education for the people that cannot afford it or do not have the time to accomplish this goal is a interesting concept. I have never taken a course through Udacity or even heard of it until now. But I would still not waste my time with these courses until they become accepted by colleges and more businesses. Truthfully, i do not want to take any courses that i do not plan on using. I am a french major and i dont think that the quality of french education that i receive in my traditional university would be as good as an online course, because of the conversations with my real professor. I believe that there is a substantial difference between talking to someone through a computer and in person. But these courses seem like they would be a good introduction for anyone interested in going to a traditional university and getting a grasp on the subject material beforehand. If this program becomes more accepted in businesses on the same level as a traditional degree then i could see this becoming the future of high education in america. But for now i will stick to spending thousands of dollars at a traditional college.
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The point in this article in my opinion, the the fact that we should all have same, equal oppernunity. I would have to say that in some ways i completley agree, that were all in the same boat we are here for the same reason but in ways I would have to disagree. I feel that if I am paying the money for an education,that I should recieve the money that I am putting in. I would see its not fair that someone who pays nothing recieves the same higher education as myself. Thats selfish,I would say yes to this issue that we are in a generation where money is an issue that is it all the same, if your in an advance leanner I feel it would be nessary to be maybe be placed in higher classes maybe learn more and be ahead oppesed to sitting through information you already attain. With free education online sounds like a generally great idea but there is a big difference between reality and, the computer just as I believe theres a difference between universities and community colleges, not to say one is better then the other but its is definatly a different feel. I think that with myself paying for school out of pocket gives my education a more seriousness, a sense of I must accomplish this, opposed to online classes that can get eaily bput on the back burner. All in all I think everyones deserves a chance in higher education, but if your willing to work hard generally you will put yourself at the top.
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Having a higher education is becoming a crucial expectation of adults today in society. However, trying to achieve that higher education can be extremely challenging. Attending a college and taking typical classes can be troublesome for some people because of cost, time, accessibility, and other priorities. Many classes are now offered online. Some people prefer these types of classes because they are more convenient, but many people still prefer attending classes but it simply is not reasonable. Today, Sebastian Thrun is the start of this change of allowing people to achieve a higher education more reasonable, however I question the value of this type of education.
Many people think that America should have a universally low cost way for a higher education. According to this article, this idea could become possible. Sebastian Thrun experimented with this new idea of offering free education. He offered an online class that was available for free to a large amount of users. I agree that this idea of a low costing or free higher education is a great idea, however I do not believe in online classes. I think that so much more is able to be obtained while sitting in a classroom, partaking in real life situations, and being able to discuss, in person, with the professor and other students.
Soon enough Stanford level class spread to different areas of the world. But how relatable can these people make this information from learning it through a computer screen? Based on my opinions already stated, I would not take an Udacity course. I believe people should have the right to take these courses if they wish to, but I feel like the ability to learn would be greater enhanced in an actual classroom.
I have set very high goals for myself and I am a very determined person. I think each person has their own personal issues they have to deal with while trying to achieve an education. The Udacity courses might be the answer to some people’s problems and will help them achieve their goals; I just know this is not a solution for me.
I dream of being a teacher and I feel like if I take classes online, I will not learn the things I need to learn to be a successful teacher. People lead by example. I want to experience different teaching styles so I can learn which types of techniques I want to incorporate into my classroom. I will not obtain these skills through learning from a computer screen.
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Cheng Zhang
Kristin Stoner
English 150
February 4, 2013
1. I don’t agree his view, in my consideration internet has opened up a new era, including education. There are lots of college offer the online courses to students in order to meet the increasing number of students as well as a limited number of traditional education resources. However, Silicon Valley is a place, which stands for the highest technology in this world, why we cannot believe Silicon Valley will launch a revolution in education area.
2. Personally I don’t think STEM courses fit all students who take those courses online. For instance, such as math and science I think it students will accept these concepts much more easier in real class room than online course. Once you have question you can talk with your instructor during the class, but online course might not reaches this point.
3. I didn’t take a Udacity course, it might be very attractive for me because the instructor comes for Stanford, except this point, I think there is no different that the online courses in Iowa state university. During the regular class, I can take with my instructor and share ideas, these kind of experiences seem Udacity cannot offer to me. As an international student, I took 17 hours airplane, far away thousands miles from my homeland to take courses in ISU, so I’m prefer to the real campus experience.
4. Although Bennett was the Secretary of education for three years in President Ronald Reagan’s administration, and when the time goes by as well as his credentials growing up. But no one can stop the progress of the times and change. Although Udacity course still has bunch of problems need to be solve, the trend of online education instead of traditional education has begun. Further more online education can offer the low cost, universal, flexible.
5. We need a revolution of education. There still have lots of young kids can’t get the high education, the reason is not they are not clever enough, poor is the key point. In the meantime, with the development of this world, education is driving force of the development of a country. In the contradictions of the rising number of students and limited traditional education resources, regardless of improving productivity or raise the number of teachers, all of these need a revolution of education to support them. To be honest, the education institutions such as Udactiy still have lots of problems indeed. For example, the problem of certification, whether it is admit for all of the enterprises that you what to work for, same situation for international students, who bring the graduation certification to homeland. Secondly, Should appear many education institutions, how to guarantee the teaching quality. In conclusion education revolution need us constantly endeavor.
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Ying Liu
Kristin Stoner
English 150
February 4, 2013
1 From the opening paragraph, Bennett say that educators’ dreams of providing “universal, low-cost, first-class higher education” ,which is an “unlikely source” like Silicon valley. I don’t completely agree with him .As mentioned from above. Bennett already received an education from a university which means she have been experienced how university works forus .However, she might doesn’t know how different through getting education from other ways. For instance, a community college and online class. The fact is they are all distinctive education no matter we learn
knowledge from which way, we might could learn different style class and get different information but finally we need to get a degree in order to achieve more goals in future life. The reason for why Bennett consider Silicon Valley as an unlikely source because he haven’t figure out that how other source work. My conclusion is education have many different style and people choose their own style for better life.
2As far as I concern, I don’t think STEM courses are superior choices for all students who take those online courses. The obvious disadvantage of online class is no communication opportunities are given. In fact, all science and math problems are very complicated for students to figure out. It is hard for us to solve all issue without TA and professor’s help. In this case, we d’better choose to learn these subjects in real class. In another hand, online social science class should fit most students in terms of memorizing is a major way to learn. There are more reading task we have to do than science and math class. Online class will more flexible and resource saving.
3. I definitely prefer to go to regular class and experience campus life in here, as an international student. It will make no sense for me if I choose online class even though the instructors are come from Stanford. Compare with online class, there are more opportunities for me to communicate with TA and professor ,which is significant for me to improve myself since English is not my first language, In other hand. Involve in regular class will help me to organize my study plan and cultivate good habit.
4Personally I think his credibility is growing up in the same time he is getting old. As we know from life. People gain experience and knowledge slowly ,which is a process of accumulate. It is impossible to make an incredible progress in one day. When we talk with elder, his suggestion and opinion always more power and mature than ours. I think it is totally same with Bennett. He has enough experience to support himself
5I definitely support that we need a revolution in higher education. There is still a large number of children in different area can’t receive high education. They might like what we watch from TV, too poor to pay for tuition. Some children who born in conflict area ,they can’t even keep health like normal children. There are too many restriction to get high education for them. However. Udacity sounds like it is a good way to break some restriction .For instance, online class provide opportunity to people who live far away from college or disability of walking .They can get access if they have computer and Internet. But online class can’t solve all issues that we concern, I want to talk about my countries education issue. In China. College entrance exam is not fair in different area. People who live in big cities always require lower grade to enroll famous college. Regional disparity shows really big issue of education. It will effect the development of country so that we need very strict and fair selection to make sure everyone have equal opportunity to learn knowledge. In the same time .I guess there are many tough issue haven’t solve till now in other countries. Revolution of high education is a compulsory task in the future
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Zhuolei Luo
Kristin Stoner
English 150
February 4,2014
1:I agree with Bennett’s idea to some aspect. He think Sillicon Valley is a place for technology, and the education area should in college or university are also can improve here. The distance education from Sillicon Valley is a low cost and high effective program, it use internet let students all over the world to come to one course. Students in some developing countries have no chance to take the course open by top universities. However, because the Udacity courses, they are able to enjoy the same courses.
2: I think the math, physic and other STEM field courses are not good for student to study in Udacity courses. These course are hard, they need to consider with their instructor and classmates. On the other hand, lecture classes can be taken in the internet, these classes need students take time on writing, and writing is one person’s job.
3: Personally, I prefer to take face-to-face class. I dont have experience to take Udacity courses. I know it have many advantages, just like It can save my class time and give me chance to think questions. But it also a bad things to me, because I am a person who need to be under control or I will not go to study. The Udacity courses doesnt have system to urge me.
4: In my opinion, his credentials has been strongly influence by his age and experience. He has been the president of Secretary of Education for three years, and he work in this area fot 25 years. People surely believe he is one of the authority in the education.
5:We need a revolution in higher education in today. Although in America most people can go to college to have higher education, many students in developing countries can not go to school after they graduated from high school. The barrier for them is money, they have no money to go to school but they are dying to get knowledge. The Udacity courses can help them make their dream come true. The low-price and high quality education are their best way to continue study. What they need is only a computer with internet and a little money. Comparing with tranditional education,Udacity course give them chance. Some disadvantages may make little trouble to them, but compare with the benefit, the bad things are nothing.
On the other hand, students who have regular class also can go to Udacity course, they are able to have special experience in take other school’s course. It will effect the development of their progress.
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Zhuolei Luo
Kristin Stoner
English 150
February 4,2014
1:I agree with Bennett’s idea to some aspect. He think Sillicon Valley is a place for technology, and the education area should in college or university are also can improve here. The distance education from Sillicon Valley is a low cost and high effective program, it use internet let students all over the world to come to one course. Students in some developing countries have no chance to take the course open by top universities. However, because the Udacity courses, they are able to enjoy the same courses.
2: I think the math, physic and other STEM field courses are not good for student to study in Udacity courses. These course are hard, they need to consider with their instructor and classmates. On the other hand, lecture classes can be taken in the internet, these classes need students take time on writing, and writing is one person’s job.
3: Personally, I prefer to take face-to-face class. I dont have experience to take Udacity courses. I know it have many advantages, just like It can save my class time and give me chance to think questions. But it also a bad things to me, because I am a person who need to be under control or I will not go to study. The Udacity courses doesnt have system to urge me.
4: In my opinion, his credentials has been strongly influence by his age and experience. He has been the president of Secretary of Education for three years, and he work in this area fot 25 years. People surely believe he is one of the authority in the education.
5:We need a revolution in higher education in today. Although in America most people can go to college to have higher education, many students in developing countries can not go to school after they graduated from high school. The barrier for them is money, they have no money to go to school but they are dying to get knowledge. The Udacity courses can help them make their dream come true. The low-price and high quality education are their best way to continue study. What they need is only a computer with internet and a little money. Comparing with tranditional education,Udacity course give them chance. Some disadvantages may make little trouble to them, but compare with the benefit, the bad things are nothing.
On the other hand, students who have regular class also can go to Udacity course, they are able to have special experience in take other school’s course. It will effect the development of their progress.
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I think Bennet makes an interesting argument. In today’s world, I do believe that a formal education of some kind is necessary. Too many people have degrees now-a-days. The competition is insane and a way to keep up with everyone is to get an education. That said, It is hard to become motivated for college when you need to find the time and the finances to attend. I think online classes are a wonderful way to accomplish going to college. There are so many resources available to assist with online learning. Also, it is easy to manage time online. I used to think that there is nothing better than getting education from a live professor. However, as of late, I have come across one to many miserable instructors that are unorganized, unstructured and uncaring of their student’s success. I would rather learn online at my own pace than be stuck with a less than par professor. I think everyone needs to get an education and if this is a way to make it more afordable, that is wonderful.
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Before I actually took classes online, I was completely against online schooling. I felt like I wouldn’t learn as much without the student teacher interaction, being able to ask the teacher questions when I needed help, or not knowing how to work the program. Then I took a few classes online and I found it very useful and not so bad as I thought it would be. I was able to go at my own pace, whether that be faster or slower than everyone else. The fact that it is free is very helpful to those who couldn’t afford college, and now have the opportunity. That does pose problems though. He said he has seen cases of people dropping out of college to take his online courses. That’s great that it was free and he learned so much more, but does that put teachers jobs in jeopardy if everyone was to do this, as he said he has been seeing a rising number of students online. Also, this makes it almost too easy to get a degree, creating competition in the work place when employers can’t narrow down the field.I do think teaching in classrooms are still important, as online is not always the best way. I feel like changes should be made to classrooms, teaching, and teachers, but not just turning everything to technology.
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I respect what other people are saying about online school, but for me personally, I have tried it multiple times and never once succeeded. I think that one of the most helpful things about online school that it is free. For me though I think the majority of college should be taught in the rooms with teacher to student relationships.
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I took online classes my first year of high school. It was not the best way for me to learn, but for others it may mean they get a better education and take more from what they are learning. I learn by interacting with other people, whether that be a teacher or other students. But my sister, she is much better at figuring things out by herself. I believe she would do just as well in an online course perhaps even better. Colleges are beginning to have online courses, and it is not free, but it is an easier way to go to school. You can stay home and work on the course whenever you want and can go to work at the same time. For me I think online classes are a great thing to have. If it means that others can still get a good education, I say go for it.
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I think that if there’s one thing that most Americans can agree on, it’s that we need a little bit of revision in the post-secondary education segment of our country. There’s a lot of ways that the education system falls short. Tuition is constantly increasing, there’s a pretty high overall barrier of entry, there’s tenure, there’s the extremely high amount of time that it takes up: the list goes on and on. ‘Udacity’ is a wonderful invention, in my honest opinion. Thrum’s new form of online schooling could completely renovate the industry, and I think that’s exactly what we need. With no tuition classes, many people that wouldn’t have been able to get a higher education are now able to. Many would argue that online courses take the “college” part out of college – i.e. the cultural aspects of it such as parties, socializing in person, and meeting new people (all face to face, I mean), but I think that overall this is a good step in the right direction for the American education system.
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Sebastian Thrun made a break through in giving students all over the world a chance to have a higher education by putting his class work online. Before I took my first online course I was very skeptical because I thought I was going to loose one on one time with my professor, but during the course I learned that I was able to go on my own pace and I got a better understanding on the material. In Thrun’s quote he said “It’s the beginning of higher education for everybody.” I completely agree with this comment. Everyday technology is improving, so online schooling is going to make difference, everyone will be able to adapt to the new ways and gain a higher education.
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Online classes are a mediocre alternative to challenging college courses. By staring at a computer screen, students are not learning social skills, or getting help from professors when necessary. If you can take college classes for free, effortlessly, at your own pace and leisure, what is it but glorified high-school? The entire meaning behind “higher education” is that you are going above and beyond everyone else by participating in it.
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Thru’s invention is truly remarkable in it of itself. It’s a common issue for students that want to proceed in their education but, simply can’t afford it and this online program provides a solution for it. At the same time that I believe that this is a truly innovative way of approaching higher education, I also believe that attending a university or college is an experience that is irreplaceable. The past few summers I have taken some online courses, and I would be open to the idea of taking a Udacity course. However, I do not foresee how the company is going to branch out into other courses, including–literature, history, or philosophy. These subjects are drastically different from the provided STEM courses. Literature and philosophy provide a greater depth of knowledge that cannot be transmitted through a computer monitor. My view, however, contrary to what Bennett has argued, is that not all courses can be taught and absorbed the same way as if you were to actually attend the class. Yet is it necessarily true that online courses are an acceptable substitute to a college degree? Is it always the case, as I have been suggesting, that students might not absorb the information as fully through an online course? In recent studies not as many high school graduates are attending college because it is wicked expensive, and most people especially in today’s economy just can’t afford it. I do believe that this is an excellent alternative but, there has to be something in between that isn’t quite so drastic.
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Personally, I have not taken an Udacity class. I’m actually not sure if I would ever take one. It would be a good thing for people in underdeveloped countries who don’t have access to “the mecca of technology” like we do, alike with our education system. I want to be a Paramedic, so I’m not sure if going total online-class would benefit me. On one hand, I think I would possibly do some of my certification tests online to save time and maybe a long drive, but on the other hand there are some things you just cant get through online experience. I strongly believe this Udacity invention is phenomenal for developing countries and for individuals who have trouble leaving their home to take classes. It all depends on the person on who would take these kinds of classes.
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The question posed is do we need a high level education revolution. Is that even a question? OF COURSE we do!! A student graduates with honors from high school, in order to (competitively) get into the work force this student needs to attend college. No problem they’ve been accepted to several schools on account of their good grades, but they have only been accepted. In order to attend this student must put themselves a small fortune in debt. The average college senior with a bachelors degree will carry around $50,000 dollars worth of debt. Now i’m not saying the college degree isn’t worth the time and money, it is ( and has to be) but for a student who is just starting to truly supporting themselves with a real job to be in severe debt? That is ridiculous, the voice calling for upper level reform should be that of all of us, not just those currently trying to pay off the debt.
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Bennett contends that students can get a good quality education, if not higher, through online courses with no cost at all. Some people are not able to have college experience, mostly due to financial problems, but through online classes they can get the education they desire. People are in need of proper education, and all they need to do is just sign up onto technological education. Although I agree with Bennett up to a point, I cannot accept his overriding assumption that online classes are a form of higher education. Despite how good one does by taking online courses than actually attending college classes, they will not have the same learning experience. In other words, learning from a professor and being in a class with other students gives a more valuable learning experience than sitting by yourself and trying to learn from a computer screen. Yet some readers may challenge my view by insisting that the important thing is for students get a high education and successfully pass their classes, whether they are online or in a classroom. However, the skills learned in a class where you can work with other students are not available through online classes.In addition, Bennett mentions how there is a huge need for education and supports it through Thrun’s statement, “Hundreds of thousands of people just sign up because they really care. They really want to advance themselves and their lives and they don’t want to pay $50,000 or $100,000 to get there.” This underlines the main reason for why online classes are referred to as higher education: people have a chance to get a good education without having to pay so much. This can be just another doorway for some people to have a bright future without having to go through college.
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I have not taken an Udacity class. I most likely will never take one in my educational career. This would be a good thing for people in countries that are not as developed as we are. The career I am interested is Physical therapy so taking my classes online may not be whats best for me to pursuit my career. I may take some tests online to save some time and a long drive depending on where I go to college. But there are some things that you can not get through the computer, you have to experience it and do it hands on. I do believe this Udacity invention is helpful to develop countries and to help the people who may not be able to leave their homes for school. It all depends on the person and what they dream to do later in life.
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After reading and hearing about the positive effects of Udacity, People from around the world had taken this opportunity to advance in their education. I say Udacity is found to be effective and is in favor of people from all corners of the world. An example is a 53 year old man insisted that, ”He decided to change careers and go back to a local college to study computer science. When he heard of Udacity, he dropped out of school and signed up for an online course. He said he learned more in several weeks with Udacity than he did in an entire semester at the local college, and he paid nothing for it”. In other words this guy, paid not a single penny to go get a better education from Udacity than he would get from a local college, in a shorter portion of time. Udacity is proven to work and now provides with STEM fields. I’ve always believed that, Udacity’s model would be capable of educating a literature course, U.S. history, and Philosophy. Research shows that more and more people are getting involved with this program. It is growing at a fast rate and its opportunities are increasing. So why wouldn’t it be able to handle other courses? I think Udacity will do an outstanding job with educating not just the STEM classes but other courses of English and History.
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Sebastian Thrun, the vice president of Google, has created a program which will give students all over the world, with different cultural, and economical backgrounds, the ability to take STEM classes online for free. He is hoping to give students the chance at getting a good education with no cost whatsoever. Although, Thrun does point out that these classes show better academic achievements than students at Stanford University, personally I don’t know if I would try it out. I have never taken a Udacity course before and this type of class might seem like a good idea at first, because you can learn the material at your own pace and you won’t be slowed down by the rest of your class, but it is also extremely important to keep in touch with other students and teachers as well. They can help you when you have questions and to me this is very important in the process of learning. Also, when taking an online course you need to discipline yourself to sit down and work on the class for several hours at a time. This might be very hard especially for those who don’t want to learn in the first place. If there will be no one to push them to do harder, this person might not learn anything at all.
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In the article, William Bennett remarks on Sebastian Thrun’s invention of affordable universal college education through the use of online videos that would act as a class.He calls this Udacity Bennett poses the question, “Do we need a revolution in higher education?” Although Bennett does not give a direct answer to this question, you can tell by his diction in the article that he holds Thrun’s invention in high regards, and that he believes a revolution in higher education would be beneficial. Bennett is surely right about the need for this revolution, which can be seen when you look at the data provided. In one of Thrun’s classes, in which there are students that live in distant countries and right there in Stanford, the top 410 students were found around the world. There are brilliant students all around the world, but they never get the chance to let show their brilliance to the world. This is either because they can not afford higher education or because it is not available to them. Now, some may say that an Udacity certificate is not valid and should not be accepted. I can see their concern, that this is not a valid form of education and these students should not receive these certificates that signify their achievement in education.These people simply need to understand the possibilities this program is opening. For example, the brilliant minds whose education was hindered by lack of payment, are now free to continue their education and discover new things and expand their knowledge. Perhaps one day these brilliant minds will go on to make a great difference in our world. Udacity’s results have been so positive, I know that if we follow in Thrun’s footsteps, we can make higher education become something available to all and begin to find the next brilliant minds in this world, no matter where they’re from.
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In the article “The Future of Higher Education”, William Bennett highlights the invention of Udacity; A universal, first class higher education made by Sebastian Thrun. Udacity is basically a free online class that educates people at the same level of a high level college. This provides accessibility to millions of people who either can’t afford it, or live in countries that make it harder to reach high education. Although, I do agree that this can be a great tool for people who live in different countries or really cannot afford college at all, I personally don’t think I would choose this program over college. Common sense seems to dictate that a college degree is preferred over having nothing. Udacity does not provide a college degree at this point, and there still working on at least trying to provide a certificate. A certificate showing you completed courses does not live up to the same level as getting a college degree and therefore I would choose college over a free online program. I believe if you have the opportunity to choose between college and free online courses, college is what you really need to reach you goals.
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Although Thrun’s invention of Udacity is quite spectacular, I do not foresee myself using Udacity in the future. Udacity is a great solution for the students who want to attend college, but cannot afford it. Of course, many will disagree–myself included– that Udacity is in no way comparable to a college degree. Udacity has yet to branch out to other course options, and, in my own personal opinion, online courses do not sink into your brain as much as an actual college course would. The majority of the population now is worried about how to pay for college, and I do still believe that Udacity is a great option, but a real college education still proves to be the better option.
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Bennett seems to be all for the Udacity online college programs, explaining how much money it can save, and how convenient it is to access the programs. These are all great attributes, but from my perspective the programs do not seem to be effective. First of all, by adapting to the Udacity courses you are losing the college experience. College is about getting an education in a social way, Udactiy offers the education, but you are sitting behind a computer and not to mention you are most likely alone. Interactive education is lost. Furthermore, as I was reading the article I began to question how valid these courses really are. By focusing on convenience when developing these programs, I can not stress enough that the education value seems to be overlooked. Ultimately education should be the main focus of Udactiy, not the convenience. In my opinion, I would rather pay a little more money for an excellent education rather than paying virtually nothing just for the convenience of at home education. In today’s world education is more important than ever, and I believe there should be no short cuts when trying to get the best education possible.
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I have never imagined that something like having free education to anyone who wanted it all over the world would be possible. Thrun is truly a genius being able to come up with this. Bennett also does a very good job of summarizing, explaining, and stating a few points of his own on the whole subject. In the beginning Bennett very well talks about the back ground of Thruns idea to create Udacity and praises him for it. Thrun stated off with 200 students in a classroom. After he created his learning website he had over 160,000 people eager to learn. Bennett also does well on quoting Thruns statements, for instance, “People really want good education. There is a huge need.” The quotes gave us a better understanding of why he made the website. Thrun is really doing something good here and its for the best.
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The future is right in front of our eyes thanks to Sebastian Thrun. Thrun has made college easier and free. (I promise I didn’t stutter, I said college for FREE). He has made busy student or even adult lives even easier than before. The standard way of thinking about online college is no matter what, you will still be somewhat drowning in student loans. Now, instead of having the stress of finding time to take the online courses and on top of that finding the money, he has made it free to the general public. These courses include online resources and educational resources. He know has about 160,000 students enrolled into this program, which is amazing! I’ve always believed that online classes are for the people who are older and find something they want to major in but don’t have the time to go back to college, which is the case for some people, but after reading the article, this changed my mindset. Kids all over the word are taking this classes. People who speak different languages are doing these classes and learning the same curriculum as the kids in America. Naturally, we will be seeing Thrun a lot in the near future. I expect his online college classes to take off and spread even more than they already are.
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Quite similar to other articles I’ve read recently, this article discusses how the high price and lifestyle changes that college brings have put a damper on people’s desire to attend. However in William J. Bennett’s article, “Is Sebastian Thrum’s Udacity the Future of Higher Education?” a possible solution for these inconveniences is touched on, and many have started to utilize it. This solution is Sebastian Thrun’s Udacity. Bennett explains that this is an online course that can provide a low cost and lifestyle efficient education to absolutely anyone who desires. He also explains that these courses are more immersive than actual college level courses. While some have their doubts on these Udacity courses, and even I don’t see myself utilizing them, I believe they can be extremely beneficial for those who may find it hard to attend an actual college due to price or lifestyle. Having this affordable and easily accessible source of education that anyone to access is helpful for those who need it. Helping people obtain a higher education by any means can benefit not only our country but the world by helping mold the brains of the future. Knowledge is knowledge, so if Udacity provides it, it should be utilized by those who need it.
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The article started with what they say which is good, it comes straight out of chapter one and is a great way to start. They also responded to what they say which is described later in chapter four. There wasn’t much follow up on the quotes, the quote was usually the end to the paragraph. In TSIS it says a great way to support your answer is to support it afterward which certain areas lack in the article. They also state who this article should interest as it says in chapter seven.
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Cable News Network contributor and former Secretary of Education William Bennett discusses revolutionary new ways of distributing knowledge in his article “Is Sebastian Thrun’s Udacity the future of higher education?” In the opening paragraph of the piece, Bennett claims that Silicon Valley is an “unlikely source” for realizing educators’ dreams of providing inexpensive higher education for everyone around the world. If Bennett is right that Sebastian Thrun’s Udacity the future of higher education, as I think he is, then the United States needs to reassess the popular assumption that higher education is only for the rich and privileged few. The former Secretary of Education might consider Silicon Valley as such an unlikely source because the region is famous for technology companies that are typically producing hardware and software pertaining to entertainment and products that will easily drive revenue and not technologies that will spread the availability of education. This assertion could reveal that Bennett is slightly out of touch with today’s technology companies and that he is used to seeing radical changes in education come from traditional sources like the government or top universities.
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Throughout the article, “Is Sebastian Thrum’s Udacity the Future of Higher Education?”, Bennett introduces the topic of Udacity, an online education website, and how that has impacted the life of many individuals. Many have actually taken this new way of education very satisfying for the simple fact that some people have an extremely busy life not only with family but with work, too. Bennett states, “One man had his sights set on graduate school but was too busy with family and work to ever finish along a traditional path”. Bennett’s point is that Udacity has helped many individuals who cannot attend college for whatever their reason might be. In other words, Bennett believes that Udacity is a great way of a new learning education. Basically, Bennett is expressing how much he is for the new program helping others’ education. Recent studies like these shed new light on higher college education online, which previous studies have not addressed. In my own view, Udacity is a great opportunity for those who honestly benefit from it. However, I can’t say that it would be the same experience for myself. This is not to say that I don’t think individuals can’t benefit from it because there is many evidence in Bennett’s article that is does get people a long way in life. Personally, what I find appealing about Udacity is that it is a free education for anyone who would gain a good learning experience from it. Regardless, I would prefer to go to a college instead for the reason that it would be a better choice for myself.
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Bennett talks about the pros and cons of online college through Udacity. Udacity’s entreprenuer, Thrun, a professor at Standford, created it in hopes to expand his audience from 200 students to 200,000. Little did he know it would branch so much further off that. Although most would say this is a positive tool that most can utilize in order to get a higher education for nearly no cost, I tend to disagree. I must concede that is a great oppurtunity for people in less fortunate countries to gain the knowledge they thirst for but what about the rest of us? What about the kids that work like dogs in high school to get accepted into top colleges like Stanford? What about the huge debt that always sits on those kids’ shoulders? What about them, the ones who attend college and pay crazy amounts of money and work hard to get a job afterward? It seems to me like those are the kids that get punished with this education innovation. If a top Stanford professor is offering the same classes and resources online for free, why are only some students forced to pay? Thrun may have opened the door to many but the hard workers with debts too large for them to comprehend get the short end of the stick. To put it bluntly, going to college is a waste of time and money apparently now. I strongly disagree and stand up for the 200 students who stand in Thrun’s lectures and work towards their futures when they could be sitting on their couch doing it haphazardly for free. Despite the unfair aspect, Thrun does present evidence that makes sense saying, “Udacity has already partnered with more than 20 companies who verify and accept the certificates of course completion. Some are already hiring graduates of Udacity courses.” (Thrun) In other words, he’s making the point that Udacity means jobs and jobs mean money, money that won’t go straight back to the bank to pay off your loans. Although free online college seems to have it’s perks, I stand by the kids who went the traditional route and attended a college/university. Who ever said it was good to break tradition anyway?
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William J. Bennett starts off his article stating that students across the world can get an above average education through free online classes created by Sebastian Thrun. After high school, in order to enter the highly competitive work force you must attend college–but that’s where the problem lays for many. Millions of people state that they do not attend college solely for the reason of financial struggles. Now through online educational programs, like Udacity, people are able to obtain a college degree free of cost and at your convenience! Although I do agree this is an amazing educational milestone, I do not agree with Bennett when he states that free online classes are a higher form of education than colleges. Personally, I would not choose Udacity over attending a four year college. Even though the material, videos, and notes may be outstandingly accurate and helpful it is not the same as attending classes. When you attend classes you have hands on learning experience and develop skills rather than doing things in front of a screen. In conclusion, if we continue on with Thrun’s idea we can make a high quality level of education become easier to obtain, letting education become available to everyone, rich or poor.
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In discussions of college schooling, one controversial issue has been whether online schooling is the future of higher education. On the one hand, people argue that online college degree is worth nothing. They also argue that an online course can never be the same as a high level college education, like that of Stanford. On the other hand, Bennett argues that most Americans are unable to afford a college education and that a low cost online college course would be exceptionally beneficial to Americans. Sebastian Thrun’s “Udacity” offers an online college course equivalent to that of a Stanford class. Evidence even shows that people would normally never have an opportunity for a Stanford education were performing exceptionally well. Author William Bennett writes, “Of all the students taking Thrun’s class globally and at Stanford, the top 410 students were online. The 411th top performer was a Stanford student.” I’m of two minds about Bennett’s claims about online higher education. One one side, I do agree that low cost or even free online course give people the opportunity to attend college and get a college degree, that normally would not. I also think that this online course can discover tons of smart people who just don’t have the advances that most wealthier people do. On the other side, I don’t think Udacity is fair to the college students who attend Stanford college and have to pay student loans, while online takers get their education for next to nothing. Regular college students not only have to pay tuition and all the fees for college, but they also have to get accepted into the college. People every year get rejected from Stanford from applications, while people now without registration get the same schooling. The topic of online schooling causes many controversial discussions regarding its benefits in comparison to its consequences.
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Many scholars believe that the opportunity to take a free-online course is truly a revolutionary that might be comparable to the invention of the systemic note-taking. In other words, people around the world, rich or poor, can take a college level class. I agree. Furthermore, These people’s potential will be discovered in these free classes, which are comparable to Stanford level classes. Sebastian Thrun explains,” In fact, of all the students taking Thrun’s class globally and at Stanford, the top 410 students were online. The 411th top performer was a Stanford student. “We just found over 400 people in the world who outperformed the top Stanford student.” There are people that with undiscovered potential that can even beat a top Stanford student. In conclusion, higher education has evolved to all new high. Watch out, (for profit) colleges!
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Former Secretary of State William Bennett notifies the reader of an exciting opportunity in his article “Is Sebastian Thrum’s Udacity the Future of Higher Education?” He discusses Udacity, an online learning tool which offers anybody free graduate level courses from Stanford. To me, this sounds like an incredible chance that should be taken advantage of. I have not taken a Udacity course before, but I have done an online course which seems similar to the ones offered by Udacity. In my experience, I really enjoyed it. Not only did I learn more than I thought, the ability of doing it on my own time was the biggest reason I liked it. However, even though I did like it overall, you certainly aren’t obtaining the benefit that personalized instruction has. Being the type of student who likes to delve deep into STEM fields, not being able to express my thoughts and questions face to face was a big drawback. All in all, Udacity, along with all other free online education programs are quite beneficial to the world, so having more people utilize them is necessary for a better future.
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It seems to me that Bennett is trying to say that the purpose of this article is to promote the creation of the new form of education that is found when using Udacity. I would have to say that I like the idea of this system and although some readers of may object this new age form of education, I would answer that it is just what society in order to make a skilled new generation of the working class without drowning a person in student loans. Anyone who is familiar with this system would agree that there seems to be one large negative to this educational innovation, which is the lack of liberal arts studies. Look, I know that there are more jobs available in mathematical and scientific fields. However, as a person who aspires to major in the arts, I find it insulting that education system belittles education revolving around English and history by not even trying to include them in the program of studies. Although the lack of these field of education is enraging, most liberal arts majors would agree that their education would not work out well using a program like Udacity. The reason for this is that most English and history classes revolve around discussion based content and it would be much more challenging to have real educational discussions through a screen, since the idea of face-to-face contact still is very important when trying to truly share ideas. I believe that using technology to have real and rewarding discussion based learning would not work well for both the educator and the students. While I concede that Bennett’s creation of Udacity is ingenious, I still insist that the fact that quality liberal arts education could not be achieved using this system.
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With rising college debt and education becoming more valuable, people are looking for the happy medium where they can get a solid education but not suffer through tremendous amount of debt. Bennett’s “Is Sebastian Thrum’s Udacity the Future of Higher Education?” explains just how much of a positive and powerful impact Udacity can have on the general population. Udacity is a affortable international college education that can be attained through watching videos and using online programs. I certainty believe that this is a remarkable program but I can’t see it being comparable to genuine college education. You’re not in a classroom, you’re not with classmates who are willing to help or to engage in academic conversations and it’s not a genuine college degree in the end. In conclusion my opinion on this innovation is that it is good for people who don’t have the money but yet again I can’t find it to be as valuable as a genuine college education. This causes the many to peopl
e to ask will there ever be a solution to the high cost of such a necessity in life?
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In the article, “Is Sebastian Thrun’s Udacity the future of higher education?”, William J. Bennett discusses Sebastian Thrun’s new means of gaining a higher education for free. The program is called Udacity and Thrun discusses the many advantages to his program. Multiple courses are free, and many others are very cheap, so it’s easier for a lot more people to get an education that they don’t normally have the opportunity to get due to high prices. Thrun is right, we need higher education that is affordable for anyone and available to people all across the world. There are so many smart minds in the world who don’t have the opportunity they deserve to show what they can do, and to educate themselves further. Udacity gives them that. Don’t get me wrong, there could be many problems caused by Thrun’s online program, and there’s a sense of anonymity that could cause problems in certain cases, but there would be even more advantages and people who just really want to learn. We would gain more brilliant people in jobs where positions are needed, and more people will finally be able to just simply do what they want and learn. Udacity seems to me to be more of a step in the right direction than anything else.
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In recent discussions of higher education, such as college, an important issue has been on how to provide a low cost, universal, higher class education. On the one hand, some may argue that it’s not possible to have access to higher class education unless you are a part of the higher class. On the other hand, however, some claim that the internet can provide the possibility for obtaining a higher class education regardless of a person’s income. In William J. Bennett’s article, “Is Sebastian Thrun’s Udacity the Future of Higher Education?”, Bennett argues that Thrun’s online course, Udacity, has been the best education provided to students of any class and anywhere in the world thus far. He supports his claim by providing evidence that, “Udacity offers 11 STEM courses… all free. There are no admission offices and anyone can sign up. After the class, students can choose to certify their skills online or at one of Udacity’s 4,500 testing centers for a fee.” In other words, Bennett shows that these courses are available to anyone and provided at a low cost. The question, however, is what the price of that “low cost” may be. Surely, it is much lower than that of 50,000 to 100,000 dollars that higher class education typically costs. This price reduction can enable many more people to receive the education they desire.
I am skeptical about using an online alternative to receive a higher class education. Now don’t get me wrong, it sounds like an excellent opportunity for those that are not financially fit to receive this higher education otherwise. In fact, I agree that it may be the easiest way to give access universally for a higher class education at a low cost, compared to a traditional college. Where I am in opposition, however, is that not everyone has access to the internet universally, and it will not be able to provide the same college experience as traditional college education. Educators such as Thrun may challenge my view by insisting that, with this program they are able to reach hundreds of thousands more students, and that, in Thrun’s case, the top 410 students at Stanford were online. By saying that the top 410 students were online, and have out competed the top Stanford student who actually attends Stanford, he suggests that the fact it is an online course does not affect the student’s performance in a given class. Although it may be true in Thrun’s case that the top students were online students, I still insist that it may not be the case at other colleges and it is uncertain whether this is a definitely better alternative to traditional education, as it is so new. Future studies ultimately will show whether online education truly provides a learning experience like that of traditional colleges. This issue is important to address in order for anyone in the world to get the best education equivalent to that of higher class education, at a reasonable price.
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